"Pills" is a song by American rapper Lupe Fiasco, created as a track for his debut studio album, Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor (2006). It samples the 1974 song "Out There" by Willie Hutch in the chorus. With the leak of the LP's unofficial material in April 2006, months before its scheduled date in June, it was not added in the official track listing. The song, along with "I Gotcha," were included on the compilation album, MTV2 My Block: Chicago, released through Asylum Records on October 10, 2006.[1] On October 13, 2023, Fiasco dropped the song under the name "Out There" through 1st & 15th Entertainment and Thirty Tigers as part of Chill's Spotlight, Vol. 6 - Underground.
The record introduces two characters from his The Cool storyline, The Streets and The Game.
Background[]
Fiasco told Format Mag in December 2006, "There was another song that we didn't get a chance to put on the album that was called the "Pills," which came out on this MTV My Block compilation and that song kind of personified the ills of the world standing next to the beauties of the world."[2] In a 2020 video, he clarified that it was not actually titled "Real Recognize Real," which was supposedly done by uploaders who assigned their own names.[3]
Personnel[]
- David "Prolyfic" Ewing Jr. – producer
- Joey Fernandez – masterer
- Wasalu "Lupe Fiasco" Jaco – vocals, writer
- Willie Hutch – vocals, writer
- Yuki Tasaka – mixer
Lyrics[]
[Intro]
Well, the first thing I want to say is
[Verse 1: Lupe Fiasco]
They say real recognize real
The dollar bill will exercise our ills... E
Frauds is thoroughly camouflaged
And fatigued in the field, be careful who you believe
The pills is dealed like flaccid
Proceeds go towards the buyin' of Caprice Classics
With the wheels to match it, so they can mack it
Like an automatic weapon, steppin' off into traffic, like
"Check him," tears roll down the eyes of the rides
Inside of a funeral procession, here lies
Wit' Xs in his eyes, the unguided misdirected
Squad cars roll past and laugh
[Chorus: Willie Hutch, Lupe Fiasco]
Out there
Out there (Uh)
Yeah, hahaha
Uh
[Verse 2: Lupe Fiasco]
They say the streets is a demon in a dress
With dollar signs in her eyes and semen on her breath, uh
Scantly clad, no panties, deep throatin' in an alley
Agin' badly, in sunglasses, she pretty
Slain boyfriend names is tattooed on her titties
Sprinklin' greed, ignorance, and envy inside of a Phillie, uh
Hennessey tears, ass'll bring ya enemies here
Flirt wit'cha flaws 'til you run up in her raw
[Chorus: Willie Hutch, Lupe Fiasco]
You'll be out there (Uh)
Out there, out there (Out there, out there)
Out there, out there (Out there, out there)
And they say
Uh
[Verse 3: Lupe Fiasco]
They say the game has the belly of a beast
Blunts for fingers and hollow tips for teeth
Wiretaps for ears; Nike Airs for feet
Blasphemy for prayers; the system for a heart
Rap music for beats; heroin for a son
And it's married to the streets; crack pipes for lungs
And he never sleeps, just spies, with dice in his eyes
Loves life, 'cause he likes when it dies
With a bakin' soda soul, he cough up pleasure
Clothes made out of dollar bills that he sewed together (Uh)
He knows, he's clever, jail is his house
All the liquor that's poured out, goes right in his mouth
Rides around on a stray bullet; with prostitutes
Pimps, dope dealers, and killers tied to it to pull it (Uh)
A TV in his head, strippers slide down his legs
And he's known to ride around with the Feds, he's...
[Chorus: Willie Hutch, Lupe Fiasco]
You'll be out there
Out there (He's out there)
Out there
Uh
[Verse 4: Lupe Fiasco, Willie Hutch]
But
Righteousness is a father teachin' his kids
That what's better than wealth, is the respect in the self
(Out there)
A pistol-packin' old lady standin' up
To the dope dealers on the block, makin' sure her presence is felt
(Out there)
A teacher teachin' that thinkin' is cool
Listen, before you mention "not lettin' school turn 'em into fools"
(Out there)
Keeping God first, Lupe is here
F-N-F up, homie, I'll see you out there
References[]
- ↑ Zisook, Brian (October 9, 2006). "Asylum Records & MTV2 Present My Block: Chicago - The Soundtrack". DJBooth.
- ↑ Coachman, Dale (December 24, 2006). "Lupe Fiasco". Format Mag.
- ↑ "The Cool Wiki". YouTube. May 13, 2020.